Camera module and method for adjusting focus of lens in camera module

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a camera module having a selective focus adjustment function. The camera module includes a lens part containing a multiple of lenses, an image sensor converting an optical image transmitted through the lens part into an electric signal, and a main control part transferring the lens part driving signal to set a focusing area around the finger end part indicated by a finger in an image obtained from the optical image in a preview state. According to the proposed invention, a focusing region is set around the end part of a finger at the time of capturing an image when a user indicates a desired focusing setting area by a finger, so that the user can take the focus by selecting a desirable focus position freely at the time of photographing an image using a portable terminal having a camera module of the present invention.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of adjusting a focus of a camera module in a photographing device, the method comprising:
 obtaining a preview image with a finger indicating an object to be focused by a user, the image being obtained by a lens part of the camera module; 
 determining a finger area in the preview image based on skin-color information stored in the photographing device; 
 performing a black-and-white process to the preview image, the finger area being processed as one color selected from black and white and the other area in the preview image being processed as the other color selected from black and white; 
 determining a finger line by thinning a surface of the finger area to have a prescribed thickness; 
 determining a fingertip of the finger area in the preview image, the fingertip being determined as an end of the finger line; 
 determining a focus area to be focused based on the fingertip in the preview image; 
 locking an auto focusing (AF) function when a shutter of the photographing device is half-pressed; and 
 obtaining an image by focusing the focus area when the shutter of the photographing device is pressed. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a center of the focus area includes the fingertip in the preview image. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a size of the focus area corresponds to a quarter of the size of a display unit of the photographing device. 
     
     
       4. A photographing device, comprising:
 a display unit configured to display a preview image with a finger indicating an object to be focused by a user; 
 a camera module including a lens part and configured to obtain the preview image; 
 a memory configured to store skin-color information and temporarily store the preview image; and 
 a controller configured to:
 determine a finger area in the preview image based on the skin-color information stored in the memory; 
 perform a black-and-white process to the preview image, the finger area being processed as one color selected from black and white and the other area in the preview image being processed as the other color selected from black and white; 
 determine a finger area line by thinning a surface of the finger area to have a prescribed thickness; 
 determine a fingertip of the finger area in the preview image, the fingertip being determined as an end of the finger line; 
 determine a focus area to be focused based on the fingertip in the preview image; 
 lock an AF function when a shutter of the photographing device is half-pressed; and 
 control the camera module to obtain an image by focusing the focus area when the shutter of the photographing device is pressed. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 4 , wherein a center of the focus area includes the fingertip in the preview image. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a size of the focus area corresponding to a quarter of the size of the display unit.